Breaststroke Cheat Sheet

The key takeaways for beginners – the stroke sequence, the whip kick and the glide that actually creates your speed.

The stroke sequence

Phase	When	What happens
1. Pull	Start	Hands trace a heart in front of the shoulder line – short and fast, never back to the hip.
2. Breathe	End of the pull	The pull lifts your chest, the head follows – short breath in, eyes down and forward.
3. Kick	As the arms shoot forward	Heels to the seat, feet flexed, whip back and out – your main propulsion.
4. Glide	After the kick	Stretch long and narrow for 1–2 seconds – this is where you are fastest.

The 3 golden technique rules

Factor 1: The whip kick

Concept: The frog kick brakes you: knees opened too wide and pointed feet find no water. Tip: Knees no wider than your hips, toes pulled towards the shin and soles turned out – only a flexed foot grips water.

Factor 2: Never at the same time

Concept: Moving arms and legs together cancels out your propulsion – the classic beginner mistake. Tip: Pull, breathe, kick, glide in a fixed order. Drill each phase alone: arms with a pull buoy, legs with a board.

Factor 3: Glide instead of rushing

Concept: Starting the next stroke too early brakes you in your fastest phase. Tip: Count “one-thousand-one” after the kick. Fewer strokes per length at the same time is your proof.

Breathing in rhythm

Exhale underwater: Blow bubbles steadily from the moment you submerge – then only the short inhale is left up top.
Let the pull lift your head: The inward sweep lifts you – never throw your neck up actively.
Look down and forward: Rising too high drops your hips and brakes you instantly.

Measuring efficiency

Track SWOLF: Lap time plus stroke count – a falling number at the same pace means you swim more economically.
Keep the recovery narrow: Draw the knees in narrow, shoot the arms flat forward – frontal area is what decides.
Length before frequency: First more distance per stroke, then more speed – never the other way round.

Protecting your knees

Kick narrow: A wide frog kick loads the inside of the knee – the classic breaststroker’s knee.
Check your symmetry: A scissor kick costs propulsion and twists one knee – check it on video from behind.
Build your adductors: Start with the Copenhagen adduction on a short lever – adductors are injury-prone.
Mobile ankles: Only a mobile, outward-turned foot can grip water at all.

Pro tip: Count your strokes per length and swim the next one with one stroke less – the only lever for that is the glide. Breaststroke gets faster by braking less, not by pulling harder.